Occasionally I find children's toys and these are the subject of these latest pictures.

It is surprising where they turn up in fields and in play areas of course. I have recovered some on the beach when children have lost them in their sand castles and returned them to the owners.

Unfortunately the ones found elsewhere are usually in a distressed state with bits missing, but each one was dear to someone once and I do enjoy retrieving them.

One of the interesting things is that in the case of the toy cannons they were really made to fire with the use of gunpowder and a small shot. A little more dangerous than toy "cap" pistols that I remember having as a boy.

Lead toys are now unavailable because of the risk of poisoning and yet they were all that were available for so many years. I wonder if anyone actually got lead poisoning from them?